Television mast joint



INVENTOR ATTORNEYS y 1954 H. D. HOLT TELEVISION MAST JOINT Filed April 22, 1952- fiernzan .D. JioZZ' Patented July 13, 1954 EN T F FJI 'CE TELEVISION MAST'JOINT "flermanDx Holt, Ceres, Calif.

Application April22, 1952, Serial No. 283,571

1 .Glaim.

This invention relates ingeneral to-improvements in a television mast of thetype which includes a plurality 0f telescopic mast sections, of metal pipe, initially substantiallyfuily-engaged onevwithin the otherfcr-shipment, transport to the point of use, and initial:- erection.

After such initial erection, the'sections of the mast: are manually run up, progressively from the-uppermostnne downward, and=as so run up each section is lOCkSdzilEO- the next lowermostsecden to prevent retraction.

jTo guide each mast section within the next lower one, without substantial lateral loose-play occasioned. byzthe difference in diameterswhich exists, it has. been: theapractice toaswage or flange in the upper endrof each section toaformareduced-diameter guide for: the next. uppermost section; this practiceebeing undesirable .asrit required undue handling of the mast sections, and specialtools, to workthexmetal thereof.

It: is therefore the major. object ofqthis. invention to. provide a novel reduction .co'llar. adapted for cooperation between the upper'rendrof each mast section and theadjacentxportion'of the next uppermost mast :section: thewreductioncollarengaging about thelatter in closeguiding relation. In this manner the-metal pipe-vmast sections need only be straight-cut to length, and no metal .forming onthe ends thereof is required; thus eiiecting a: substantial saving in time, labor, and expense.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a reductioncollar, as above, which includes-in novel assemblyaguy wire connector ring; the latter'being' rotata'bly supportedby the collar toaid" in initial-installation of the mast, and to permit if-subsequent turningthereof for directional adjustmentofthe antenna.

A further object of the. invention is to provide a reduction collar and guywireconnector ring combination, for the purpose described, which may be stampedreadily and economicallyfrom sheet metal, and thereafter easily manually assembled with the telescopic sections of a mast.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a reduction collar and guy wire connector ring combination which is simple in design and thus capable of ready and economical manufacture.

A separate object is to provide a reduction collar, for the purpose described, which additionally embodies a novel clamp to lock the adjacent mast sections together when extended.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable reduction collar and guy wire connector ring combination, and one 2 which will be exceedingly effective fo-r the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such'str-ucture-and relative arrangement of parts aswill fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevation of a mast, for a television antenna,embodying the present invention.

Fig-2 is an enlarged exploded view of the reduction collar and guywire connector ring, detached.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, partlybroken out, of the reduction collar :and -guy wire connector ring combination as assembled for-:use but before placement: on the mast.

Fig. -4 is: an enlarged fragmentary elevation: of the mast foreshortened, showing two. of the devices'as in use; oneof said devices being in section.

Referring now moreparticularly tothe characters of reference on the drawings, the invention is adapted for 'use' in connection with atub-ular telescopic mast, indicated generally::at I, such mast including, on the topsection, av television antenna 2. I

The. top: section. of the. mast isindicated at"3, an intermediate sectinrrat :4, and a bottom section. at 5; *it being understood. that for greater length .more than one intermediatensecti-on: may be employed.

Themast-as initiallyiassembled,shipped; transported. to the-place- -ofzuse, and erected has the sections 3, 4, and 5 substantially wholly .tele-. scoped'within. each other. in. this condition'the mast is.initial1y erected, being engaged at its lower end ina socket aattached by a rootplat 1 to. the roofiB of :a building.

Thereafter, the sections 3 and. tarelrun'up and locked inanaexterided; positionin the: manner as will hereinafter appear.

As the stepped-down diameter of the successive pipe sections from the lowermost upwardly are such that loose play, laterally, could occur between the telescopic sections unless means were provided to prevent such play, the present invention contemplates the following for such purpose:

Between the upper end of the mast section 5 and the mast section 4, and between the upper end of the latter and the mast section 3, there is provided-as shown in Fig. l-a reduction collar and guy wire connector ring combination, indicated generally at 9.

As the devices I2 are identical, a description of one will suffice for both,

Each device 9'as shown in detail in Figs. 2-4 inclusive-comprises a reduction collar, indicated generally at I0, which reduction collar includes a lower portion II of a diameter to fit tightly on the upper end of the lowermost mast section, and an upper portion I2 adapted to snugly but relatively slidably engage about the adjacent part of the next uppermost mast section; the upper portion I2 thus being of substantially reduced-diameter relative to the lower portion II, which defines an intermediate annular shoulder l3. Such intermediate annular shoulder I 3 serves, internally of the collar, as a stop for the upper end of the lowermost section.

With each reduction collar l constructed as above, adjacent mast sections are maintained in relatively slidable relation, but are prevented from having undue lateral tilting or loose play.

When the sections 3 and 4 are run up to an extended position, as in Fig. 1, with the reduction collars ID in place thereon, said sections are locked or clamped together by the following novel means embodied in connection with each such collar:

The lower portion II of each reduction collar I0 is formed, at one point in the circumference thereof, with a laterally outwardly deformed pocket [4 having straight parallel sides, and a square nut I5 is disposed in snug-fitting-and thus non-turnable-relation in the pocket I4. As the pocket I4 is open at the bottom, the nut I5 can be readily inserted therein. A headed set screw I5 extends through an opening I! in the outer wall of the pocket M, threads through the nut I5, and thence continues inwardly through an opening IS in the upper end portion of the mast section on which the reduction collar seats. By tightening the set screw I6 it is run inwardly into forceful engagement with the telescopic lower portion of the next uppermost section, whereby the mast sections when extended are effectively maintained in such relative positions.

Heretofore it has been the practice to employ a separate clamp, but with the present invention, embodying the mast section clamp in the reduction collar In, as above described, the structure is not only simplified, but is more economical to manufacture, and may be used with greater convenience.

A guy wire connector ring I9 surrounds the upper portion I2 of the reduction collar I0, seating rotatably on the shoulder I3.

Each ring I9 is formed with circumferentially spaced holes 20 which permit of the connection of the guy wires 2| to said ring; the guy wires thence extending outwardly and downwardly to anchor points 22.

As it is necessary to directionally adjust the 4 television antenna 2, which is accomplished by rotating the entire mast assembly in the socket j, it is requisite that each reduction collar I0 be rotatable in the corresponding ring I9, and with the described arrangement such relative turning motion can occur without binding.

With reduction collars I0 used between the mast sections in the manner described, such mast sections can be straight-cut at the ends; 1. e. without any metal forming thereon, which makes possible a substantial saving in the cost of manufacture of the mast. Additionally, the reduction collars I8 each provide a very effective mount not only for the related connector ring I9 but also for the corresponding mast section clamping means, including the screw receiving nut I5 retained in the pocket I 4.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

In a mast which includes a pair of tubular mast sections, the upper section freely telescoping into the lower section, a reduction collar having an upper portion closely embracing the upper section directly above the lower section and a lower portion closely embracing the upper end portion of the lower mast section, an outwardly projecting pocket formed in one side of the lower collar portion and open to the bottom thereof, a radial-axis nut removably disposed in said pocket in non-'turnable relation, and a set screw projecting through the outer face of the pocket and threaded through the nut; the lower mast section having an opening alined with the screw through which the latter passes into holding engagement with the telescoped portion of the upper mast section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 719,146 Schofield Jan. 27, 1903 1,405,287 Clifford Jan. 31, 1922 1,559,866 Greathead Nov. 3, 1925 2,502,667 Pagett Apr. 4, 1950 2,583,210 Edwards Jan. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 135,689 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1919 

